Yesterday I looked at the best performing hitters in the Pittsburgh Pirates minor league system. This system has been dropped to the bottom-third in the game, largely due to a lack of results on the hitting side.
That hasn’t been the case on the pitching side. Even in a season where they have graduated Paul Skenes and Jared Jones, the Pirates are still producing top prospects. Three of the best are in the upper levels, and could join the big league squad in 2025.
When evaluating the best performing pitchers, I didn’t want to go with just ERA, as that can be a faulty stat that doesn’t tell the full story. Instead, for today’s look at the best performing pitchers, I went with a combination of ERA and WHIP. In order to qualify, a pitcher needed to be above the league average in both stats.
Triple-A: Indianapolis
The league average ERA for the International League West is 4.85. The WHIP is 1.47.
Full-Season Performers
- Paul Skenes: 0.99/0.91
- Jake Woodford: 2.29/1.02
- Quinn Priester: 3.21/1.07
- Isaac Mattson: 3.33/1.42
- Ben Heller: 3.55/1.00
- Brady Feigl: 3.91/1.26
- Ryder Ryan: 4.45/1.27
- Luis Cessa: 4.74/1.44
Last 30 Days
- Bubba Chandler: 1.50/0.89
- Isaac Mattson: 1.59/1.00
- Geronimo Franzua: 1.64/1.18
- Fineas Del Bonta-Smith: 1.80/1.40
- Thomas Harrington: 3.63/0.87
- Michael Plassmeyer: 3.86/0.86
- Mike Burrows: 4.00/1.39
- Domingo German: 4.26/0.87
- Luis Cessa: 4.63/1.33
Analysis
The top three performers in Indianapolis this year have all pitched in the Major League rotation. Paul Skenes lived up to his generational pitching label early in the season. Jake Woodford has been used as depth lately, after being signed in early June. Quinn Priester was traded at the deadline for Nick Yorke.
The second-half performers include the best 2025 options. Bubba Chandler and Thomas Harrington were both promoted at the end of July, and both have done well in their first few starts. Mike Burrows returned to Indianapolis recently in his Tommy John recovery, and has been putting up good numbers every other start.
Braxton Ashcraft missed both of these lists due to a second half injury, but he’s performed well since being promoted to Triple-A, and is in the same class as the above three pitchers.
There are a lot of veteran performers among the leaders in both lists. One player who stands out is Isaac Mattson. The Pirates added him as a minor league free agent over the offseason, and he’s pitched well out of Triple-A, getting results from a slider that has helped him to 60 strikeouts in 48.2 innings.
Double-A: Altoona
The league average ERA for the Eastern League Southwest is 4.06. The WHIP is 1.31.
Full-Season Performers
- Thomas Harrington: 2.24/1.00
- Emmanuel Chapman: 3.28/1.07
- Chris Gau: 3.47/1.29
- Braxton Ashcraft: 3.69/1.10
- Bubba Chandler: 3.70/1.01
- Sean Sullivan: 3.84/1.27
- J.C. Flowers: 4.05/1.23
Last 30 Days
- Emmanuel Chapman: 2.59/0.95
- J.C. Flowers: 3.63/0.92
- Bubba Chandler: 3.86/0.86
Analysis
Altoona is where some of the top current prospects in the system began their season. Chandler, Harrington, and Ashcraft all pitched well at this level in the first half. They’ve all since moved to Indianapolis, and could all join the Major League rotation at some point in 2025.
Emmanuel Chapman is a signing out of Cuba from this past December. The 25-year-old started his season in High-A, and has performed well at both levels. He could have a shot at making the majors in a relief role.
Altoona’s pitching has seen a decline in the second half, after the promotion of the big three. Hunter Barco has been the best promotion from Greensboro, but is currently on the injured list with a shin issue.
High-A: Greensboro
The league average ERA for the South Atlantic League South is 4.15. The WHIP is 1.32.
Full-Season Performers
- Luis Peralta: 0.60/0.90
- Dominic Perachi: 2.08/0.86
- Jaden Woods: 2.13/1.22
- Cy Nielson: 2.39/1.09
- Hunter Barco: 3.34/1.10
- Patrick Reilly: 3.38/1.16
- Valentin Linarez: 3.48/1.16
- Alessandro Ercolani: 3.49/1.15
Last 30 Days
- Garrett McMillan: 0.00/0.60
- Carlson Reed: 0.71/1.18
- Alessandro Ercolani: 1.10/1.04
- Dominic Perachi: 1.64/0.55
- J.P. Massey: 3.38/1.07
Analysis
Almost all of the full-season performers have since moved on from Greensboro. Luis Peralta and Patrick Reilly were traded at the deadline, with Peralta moving up to Altoona prior to his trade. Hunter Barco and Dominic Perachi have been promoted after success in the rotation. Barco has been injured in Double-A, and Perachi might be running up against his ceiling as a softer tossing lefty. Jaden Woods and Cy Nielson have moved up to the Altoona bullpen, but neither have seen the success they had in High-A.
Alessandro Ercolani is in his age-20 season, and has performed well all season. He’s improved in the second half, but the Pirates have been limiting his innings, using him as a multi-inning reliever. He’s a sleeper prospect to follow for Altoona’s rotation in 2025.
There have been a few promotions from Bradenton in the second half. Carlson Reed has been the biggest addition to the rotation. He was drafted last year as a reliever out of West Virginia, and has pitched well at both levels of A-ball in his conversion to being a starter. Garrett McMillan is a college draft pick from last year who has pitched well in ten innings since moving up to High-A. J.P. Massey had a rough start to the year, but has been improving as of late in his second year in Greensboro’s rotation.
Single-A: Bradenton
The league average ERA for the Florida State League West is 4.03. The WHIP is 1.35.
Full-Season Performers
- Mike Walsh: 0.98/0.69
- Yoldin De La Paz: 1.19/0.66
- Inmer Lobo: 1.65/0.98
- Carlson Reed: 2.43/1.25
- Magdiel Cotto: 2.63/1.10
- Garrett McMillan: 2.92/1.28
- Danny Carrion: 3.48/1.35
- Antwone Kelly: 3.75/1.25
- Landon Tomkins: 3.86/1.13
Last 30 Days
- Carlos Jimenez: 1.82/1.30
- Inmer Lobo: 2.03/0.98
- Connor Oliver: 2.04/1.19
- Danny Carrion: 2.45/1.09
- Michael Kennedy: 3.14/0.77
- Greiber Mendez: 3.18/1.15
Analysis
There are two pitchers from the starting rotation who have pitched well all season. Carlson Reed has moved up to Greensboro, where he continues to pitch well. Antwone Kelly is currently on the injured list, after showing steady improvements in the rotation this year. Michael Kennedy has been in the rotation all year, and is showing more consistent results in the second half. Carlos Jimenez has struggled with control this year, but has improved in the second half, looking like one of the best pitchers on the team.
A lot of the full-season performers are relievers who have since moved up to Greensboro. Mike Walsh and Garrett McMillan have had the most success at the new levels, while Magdiel Cotto was just moved up this week. Inmer Lobo has been great since moving up from the FCL, though he’s a soft tossing lefty who throws in the 80s, so it’s hard to project him having success beyond A-ball.
Connor Oliver and Danny Carrion are both having better numbers in the second half. Greiber Mendez has been one of the best performers who has moved up from the FCL.
System Pitching Analysis
The Pirates got a massive boost to their rotation this year with Paul Skenes. Their 2025 hopefuls could eventually give them a generational rotation led by their generational starter. Bubba Chandler, Thomas Harrington, and Braxton Ashcraft are all among the top five prospects in the organization, and could provide a boost next season, with a chance to arrive by the end of this year.
The quality of pitching drops after those three, with a lot of sleepers, but none on the level of future MLB starters. Emmanuel Chapman could be a reliever in the majors. Hunter Barco needs to prove himself in Double-A, but from a stuff standpoint, I’d grade him closest to the current big three. Anthony Solometo has struggled this year in Double-A, but is also one of the youngest players on the team.
Greensboro has some starting candidates in Carlson Reed and Alessandro Ercolani. Both should move up to Altoona next year, where they’ll give a better idea if they can start in the Majors one day. J.P. Massey could join them if he continues his second-half success.
Antwone Kelly, Michael Kennedy, and Carlos Jimenez join the list of potential sleepers in the lower levels who could reach the majors as starters. There are a lot of relievers with success in the bottom two levels, but until they have success in Double-A, I don’t project much of a big league future. Left-hander Jaden Woods is the best prospect of that group right now, but hasn’t had consistent results in Double-A yet.
The pitching is ahead of the hitting in this system. After Chandler, Harrington, and Ashcraft graduate, this system could look close to bare, even on the pitching side. They’ll need some breakouts in the next year to replenish the prospect rankings.
